Hanger tabs for sheet metal decking sections

ABSTRACT

HANGER TABS FOR SHEET METAL DECKING ARE PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF BENDABLE TABS FORMED FROM THE SHEET METAL ITSELF BY MEANS OF U-SHAPED SLOTS. THE TABS, WHEN IN USE, CONSTITUTE A DOWNWARD EXTENSION OF AN UPSTANDING WALL OF THE DECK AND ARE DISCONNECTED FROM HORIZONTAL STRIPS OF THE DECK.

Sept. 28,-1971 R. w. GARTNER HANGER TABS FOR SHEET METAL DECKING SECTIONS Filed Nov. 15, 1969 F 8 3 \L 2 m2 I a a m 2 O F 7 M 3 2 a 9 \3 8 2 a INVENTOR. RODNEY W. GARTN R {3. 4g ATTORN Y United States Patent 3,608,263 HANGER TABS FOR SHEET METAL DECKING SECTIONS Rodney W. Gartner, Coraopolis, Pa., assignor to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Nov. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 876,444 Int. Cl. E04b /38, 5/55 US. Cl. 52-588 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Hanger tabs for sheet metal decking are provided in the form of bendable tabs formed from the sheet metal itself by means of U-shaped slots. The tabs, when in use, constitute a downward extension of an upstanding wall of the deck and are disconnected from horizontal strips of the deck.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention The present invention relates to hanger devices for use in sheet metal decking.

(2) Description of the prior art Hanger devices for sheet metal decking are described in US. Pats. 3,102,610 (Shelby); 3,102,611 (Mote); 2,901,062 (Rice); and 3,197,926 and 3,300,912 (Shumaker).

The Shelby hanger tabs exhibit a tendency to tear downwardly from the decking sections. The Mote hanger tabs likewise exhibit a tearing downward tendency. The Shumaker and Rice hanger devices have never found commercial acceptance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present hanger devices are similar to the Shelby type except that the tabs are formed from U-shaped slots having their open ends presented along the juncture of an upstanding wall of the decking section so that the hanger tabs, when bent into an operative position, constitute :1 depending continuation of the upstanding wall of the decking section. Hence the present hanger tabs are free from tear-out tendencies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric illustration of a typical sheet metal decking section;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 are fragmentary isometric illustrations of two abutting, joined decking sections showing the present hanger device in its non-operative positions (FIGS. 2 and 4) and in its operative positions (FIGS. 3 and 5);

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary isometric illustrations of typical sheet metal decking sections;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary isometric views of metal decking sections illustrating alternative locations of the present hanger device; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary isometric illustration of the present hanger device in combination with alternative side joining members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) Typical sheet metal decking sections are rectangular in shape and are formed from steel sheets from about 26 gauge through about 14 gauge. They are employed for roofs and floors of buildings and are available in widths from about 12 inches to about 3 feet and in lengths from about 5 feet to about 40 feet. A typical decking section 19, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a body portion with opposite longitudinal edges 21, 22. The body portion 20 is corrugated and presents coplanar crest strips 24 and coplanar valley strips 25 separated by upstanding walls 26. The lateral coplanar valley strips 25a, 25b (hereinafter called lateralstrips) terminate in connecting means which includes an inverted channel 27 and an upstanding wall 28 adapted for interengagement as a tongue-andgroove joint. It will be appreciated that the term crest and the term valley are relative. By reversal of the corrugated sheet, the surfaces become interchanged. Clearly, if the decking section 20 were turned over, the four surfaces 25, 25a and 25b could be accurately designated crests and the three surfaces 24 could be accurately designated valleys.

It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the inverted channel 27 includes an inner upstanding wall 29, a bight 30 and 21 depending outer wall 31. The inner upstanding wall 29 is contiguous with the lateral strip 25a; and the upstanding wall 28 is contiguous with the lateral strip 25b. The wall 28 of one section is engageable with a correlative wall 29 of an abutting section. The body portion of the deck ing section may be essentially fiat as shown in FIG. 6 and indicated by the numeral 32. The body portion as shown in FIG. 7 may consist of a flat sheet 33 to which a corrugated sheet 34 is secured. The decking section, as shown in FIG. 8, may consist of a flat sheet 35 to which one or more hat-sections 36 are secured. Decking sections 7 of the type shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8 are well known in the art.

The present hanger tabs are defined by a generally U-shaped slot 37 in the lateral valley strips 25a. (FIGS. 2, 3) or 25b (FIGS. 4, 5); in the valley strip 25 (FIG. 9); or in the crest strip 24 (shown as a valley strip in FIG. 10). In FIGS. 4 and 5, the open ends of the U-shaped slots 37 coincide with the crease 38 or juncture of the lateral valley strip 251) and the upstanding wall 28. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the open ends of the U-shaped slot 37 in the lateral valley strip 25a coincide with the crease 39 or juncture of the inner upstanding wall 29 and the lateral valley strip 25a. Also in FIGS. 2 and 3, the open ends of the U-shaped slot 37 in the lateral valley strip 25b coincide with the crease 40 or juncture of the upstanding wall 26 and the lateral valley strip 25b. In FIG. 9, the open ends of the U-shaped slot 37 in the valley 25 (intermediate of the opposite longitudinal edges 21, 22, see FIG. 1) coincide with the crease 41 or juncture of the upstanding wall 26 and the valley strip 25. In FIG. 10, the decking section 19 is shown inverted and presents valley strip 24 and a crest strip 25. The open ends of the U-shaped slot 37 in the valley 24 coincide with the crease 49 or juncture of the upstanding Wall 26 and the valley strip 24.

It will be observed from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the crease 39 and 38 coincide with the longitudinal edges 21, 22 respectively.

The U-shaped slot 37 defines a generally U-shaped tongue or tab 42 which may be bent downwardly as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 9 and 10 to provide a hanger site for suspending mechanical devices from the decking sections. Preferably, the U-shaped tab 42 is provided with an aperture 43 to facilitate connection of hanger wires as taught in the Shelby Pat. 3,102,610.

The principal improvement of the present invention resides in positioning the U-shaped slots 37 such that the U-shaped tabs 42. will constitute an essentially coplanar continuation of the upstanding wall 28 or 29 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 3 respectively. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10 the U-shaped slots 37 may be positioned such that the U-shaped tabs 42 will constitute an essentially coplanar continuation of any one of the upstanding walls 26 which is intermediate of the opposite longitudinal edges 21, 22 (FIG. 1). In each instance. the tabs 42 are disconnected from the horizontal strips (valley strips 25, 25a, 251; or crest strips 24). By providing the depending hanger tabs 42 as essentially coplanar devices in the manner described, the tendency of the hanger tabs 42 to tear when a vertical load is applied is diminished. Instead, the stresses from vertical loads are distributed along the plane of the sheet metal forming the upstanding walls 26, 28 or 29.

A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 11 where the lateral joint between adjacent decking sections is in the form described in copending patent application Ser. No. 870,510, filed Nov. 4, 1969, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. It will be observed from FIG. 11 that the lateral strips 25c, 25d of adjacent decking sections are contiguous with up standing legs 44, 45 which have correlative horizontal grooves 46, 47. The hanger tab 42 likewise if formed from the U-shaped slot '37 having its open ends terminating along a crease 48 or juncture of the lateral strips 250 and the upstanding wall 4 4. It should be apparent that the lateral strip 25d in FIG. 11 also can be equipped with suitable U-shaped slots to provide hanger tabs having the benefits of the present invention, i.e., when the hanger tab is in operative position, it is essentially coplanar with the upstanding vertical wall 45 of the joint.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet metal decking section having a body pora tab formed in one of said coplanar strips and defined by a U-shaped slot in the said one of said coplanar strips, said U-shaped slot having its open ends terminating along the juncture of said one of said coplanar strips and its contiguous upstanding wall whereby the said tab, when bent downwardly along a crease defined by the open ends of said U-shaped slot, becomes essentially coplanar with the said contiguous upstanding wall.

2. The improved hanger device of claim 1 wherein the said crease coincides with one of said longitudinal edges;

3. The improved hanger device of claim 1 wherein the said contiguous upstanding wall is disposed intermediate of said opposite longitudinal edges.

4. The improved hanger device of claim 1 wherein the said one of said coplanar strips comprises a lateral strip including one of said opposite longitudinal edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,562,784 11/ 1925 Olsen 52-714 2,191,828 '2/ 1940 Bruehlman 52-447X 2,286,167 6/ 1942- Davis 52714X 3,300,912 1/1967 Shumaker 52--484X ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

